WomenVenture

For forty five years, WomenVenture has provided women of all ages, cultures, races, and income levels with the tools and resources to achieve economic success through small business ownership.

Our training and lending programs are structured to be accessible for all, regardless of business experience or income level. In the last year, WomenVenture has served 1,157 clients, provided 4,7005 hours of training to emerging women entrepreneurs and small business owners, and disbursed more than $2.1M in small business loans to local businesses.

WomenVenture client Rachel Handren is a prime example of a successful women entrepreneur. Rachel opened 360 Dance Center in September 2020 with a handful of students meeting in small groups—it was during that time that she attended her first WomenVenture class, qualifying for a scholarship to take Small Business Essentials. “That first class inspired me, if you take a class that inspires you to take further action, that’s a class worth taking.”

"WomenVenture gave me not only the tools I needed to make my business successful, but also the support from passionate and talented women in the Twin Cities to fuel my fire and keep me going through business ownership!  It truly takes a village to run a business and I am so honored to have WomenVenture be apart of my journey." 

More recently, Rachel came back to WomenVenture for a loan. She invested in a new floor for her studio and wanted to make sure she had access to capital during the slower summer season. “Now we have a better floor and working capital to add some tumbling mats, I feel I can focus on expanding my classes and my reach.” By providing women with training to ensure they are venture ready, access to capital, and support, WomenVenture offers a holistic approach to serving entrepreneurs.

We are committed to supporting our clients as they develop a network of entrepreneurial women that support each other on their journey to successful business ownership. Your investment in Rachel and other WomenVenture clients means that everyone has access to our services. Please consider a donation today to help women like Rachel continue to achieve their dream of owning their own business.

Our vision is that WomenVenture is first point of contact for women living in all corners of the state seeking to own their future by owning their own business. Donate today to help us reach out Year-End goal of $80,000 and continue to provide countless women with access to resources and capital to start and grow their own businesses.